SeaWorld Celebrates World Penguin Day By Introducing New King Penguin Chicks
By SeaWorld // April 25, 2016
Hatched Earlier This Year
ORLANDO, FLORIDA – In celebration of World Penguin Day we are excited to introduce one of our adorable king penguin chicks that hatched earlier this year at SeaWorld.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE LIVE CAM OF THE PENGUIN CHICKS (Available 24 hrs.)
Did you know king penguin chicks have to go through a process called fledgling when they are about 6 months old? This is when the chick begins to lose its fluffy down feathers and grow its waterproof adult feathers. Once this chick has fully fledged our team will be able to conduct a DNA test and reveal its gender.
Do you have a guess on its gender? Make sure to stay tuned as we will continue to follow this penguin chick through adolescence and into adulthood for the final reveal.
Check out these interesting facts below and make sure to visit us at SeaWorld Orlando, Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin!
INTERESTING FACTS
• Penguins do not have wings like other birds but instead they have adapted flippers to help them swim in the water.
• The king penguin is the second largest species of penguin in the world. They can range in height anywhere from 27 to 40 inches tall and weigh roughly 24 to 35 pounds.
• Penguins’ unique black and white plumage helps them stay camouflaged while swimming. The black plumage on their back is hard to see from above, while their white plumage on their front looks like the sun reflecting off the surface of the water when seen from below. This allows them to swim with confidence while hunting for pray.
• King penguins can dive more than 900 feet in order to gain access to the food source they really want and can spend around 5 minutes submerged.
